Bad Decisions With Good Intentions
by Annabelle-Kirkland
Summary: William Graham had never been fond of anniversaries, but with his and Hannibal's one year anniversary tomorrow he plans a scheme to surprise his lover and thank him for all that he has done for him. Things unfortunately do not go as planned. WARNING: This story will eventually detail corporal punishment between two consenting adults.
1. Chapter 1

WARNING: This story will eventually detail corporal punishment between two consenting adults. If you are uncomfortable with the nature of a domestic discipline relationship then please stop reading now. If not, enjoy.

William Graham had never been one for anniversaries. Call it a fear of commitment or his inability to remember what he had for breakfast much less what day it was, but he never understood why people took them so seriously. It was meaningless, putting oneself through all of the extra stress just to celebrate something as insignificant as the time passing. Why should he care how long he's known someone if they're going to eventually walk out or die anyway? He didn't have time to worry about hurting someone's feelings by not remembering if they've been acquaintances for two months or whatever time has passed.

At least, that's how he thought about it until he met Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

A year ago they had crossed paths in Jack Crawford's office and had started off rather poorly with the psychiatrist attempting to psychoanalyze him. If anyone had asked Will at the time if he had imagined that in less than half a year's time he'd not only be friends with Dr. Lecter but somewhere close to lovers he'd laugh. But here he was, 12 months later waking up in Hannibal's bed listening to the Lithuanian's steady breathing.

An anniversary should mean nothing to him, but for some reason he couldn't stop the wheels in his head from turning. What if Hannibal greeted him with some huge romantic gesture and he had nothing to present in return? He'd look like a complete grade-a asshole. But what if the empath was the one overthinking everything and he ended up getting a huge present for nothing? Of course the likelihood of the Dr. Hannibal Lecter skipping on the opportunity to shower him with affection and sweet nothings was close to none but that could just be Will's ego talking.

He rolled over on his side and couldn't help but study his lover's face as he slept. Dirty blond hair that was for once unkempt brushed gently against his forehead. The shadows of the dark room only enhanced his sharp chiseled features, drawing Will into his full lips and remarkably high cheekbones. A sculpture that should only be found in one's imagination but was before him in all its glory.

"It's rude to stare." William bit back a shriek as Hannibal's eyes opened, the amber gazing into his soul and making his cheeks flush red. He should've expected getting caught, nothing got past the psychiatrist no matter how stealthy or subtle he thought he was.

Averting his gaze to his hands as he fiddled with the hem of the covers, he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I just can't sleep. I don't think dinner sat right with me." Of course that was a blatant lie but it was better than admitting his anxiety over something as superficial as a stupid anniversary.

But Hannibal took his chin into his fingertips and gently lifted his head so their gazes met. "Don't insult my cooking in order to cover up your true intentions. You know I'm not fond of your lying habit and I can always see what's going on in that precious brain of yours." A small smirk graced his lips as Will's cheeks flushed further to confirm his suspicions. "You're worried about tomorrow, aren't you?"

William sighed, all the tension in his body melting away as Hannibal caressed his face. "I know it's stupid to obsess over something so superficial but I just can't stop thinking about it. You've been so good to me and for me, that deserves something of equal compensation but I'm not sure what I could give you that's even close to comparable value. A fishing lure would be pitiful and if I got another dog I'm pretty sure you'd kill me."

There was a chuckle at that and the doctor kissed his trembling hand. "Well while I do admit that I'm not sure I can handle another mutt in this house, you don't need to fret. I don't need anything special, Will. Your presence alone is of incalculable value."

The empath snorted and pulled his hand away so he could turn onto his back and stare up at the ceiling. "See, that's my problem. You say all of those cheesy pickup lines that drive me crazy but I know the morning will come and you'll have some grand breakfast planned along with an over expensive gift you know I can't accept but will guilt trip me into taking anyway because you know it'll also be irresistible. And then I'll feel like a piece of shit because all I've got to offer is dirty dishes."

"And why are you so certain of that outcome?"

"Because that's exactly how Christmas ended up," he deadpanned, glaring over at him, "At least this time there won't be a crowd to make me even more uncomfortable."

Hannibal laughed again and ran his thumb along Will's uneven stubble, pressing his lips to his cheek. "Call me predictable, I can't help myself when it comes to you. It's as if my common sense disappears at the mere mention of your name."

"You're doing it again," he grumbled, but a small smile was starting to form, "How can I not feel so incompetent when you're over here playing Lithuanian casanova?" There was a moment of silence before Dr. Lecter was suddenly straddling Will with his chin firmly in his grasp.

"Incompetent? Please don't tell me I just heard you insulting yourself again, William. After all you know the consequences of self deprecation." The consultant's cheeks flushed a deep crimson and he tried to avert his gaze but Hannibal's grip only tightened. "Oh no don't you dare look away, I want you to answer my question."

He swallowed hard and felt sweat begin to form on his forehead. "Okay, I'm sorry. It just slipped, we were both playing around after all."

The Lithuanian raised an eyebrow before leaning down to kiss him slowly. The heat and lust behind it was enough to make Will want to strip then and there but Hannibal pulled away before he got the chance. With a deep sultry voice that made the empath almost melt, he whispering into his ear, "Five nice things."

William groaned. "Come on it's 2am, can't this wait until morning?"

"It's either this or I pull you over my lap and give you a lesson in self respect." The way his voice seemed to ride the line between a growl and a purr sent a shiver down Will's spine. "Not that I would mind the latter, but I recommend choosing the first option. After all…" His fingers traveled down his side and made their way under his shirt to trail along his ribs. "Tomorrow is going to hold a lot of fun and games that I'd hate for you to be too sore for."

_Fucking shit_, he thought as blood rushed to his member, _he's got me_. "Okay okay just give me some space before I explode, you're driving me crazy."

A triumphant smirk took over his features and he planted one last kiss to his exposed collarbone before sitting up again. "I expect all five to be sincere and meaningful or else I'll just have to use my alternative therapy method."

Will shot a glare at him but sighed. "Fine, I've got a fantastic ass as you're so insistent to point out."

"I only speak the truth," he mused, taking his hand, "Four more with a little less sass if you don't mind."

There was a little more grumbling but Hannibal's free hand tapping his thigh warningly was more than enough incentive to cooperate. "I'm really good with dogs... I'm decent at my job-"

"Oh no you don't," the doctor interrupted sternly, "A genuine compliment about yourself, Will. That's your only warning."

William groaned and hid his face for a moment before peeking up at his lover. "I'm really good at my job?"

That made him smile softly and kiss his forehead. "The best. 2 more and we can both sleep soundly." While Will doubted he was going to get any sleep tonight he bit his tongue. The last two positive things were always the same and took him a lot of strength to say out loud.

"I'm..." He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I'm not a monster. And I am worthy of your love." Tears pricked at his eyes and he was more than thankful when Hannibal scooped him into his arms and kissed him deeply.

"That's right. You did so much better this time, my mongoose. I'm so proud of you." The little whispers of encouragement and praise made tears spill onto Will's cheeks as he hugged the psychiatrist tighter. "I'm right here, Will. Breathe for me, everything's fine. Don't cry my sweet teacup it breaks my heart to see you so upset."

After a few sniffles William took a deep breath and let his body melt against Hannibal's. "I'm fine... Thank you. I think I'll be able to sleep easier now."

"I hope so, after all tomorrow will be a long fun day. I'd hate for you to be too tired to enjoy the festivities." And that's when he got the perfect idea for his present to Hannibal. It wouldn't be too over the top but carry sentiment along with practicality. Something the doctor couldn't refuse or dislike if he did it right.

William Graham was going to make the best anniversary dinner ever imaginable.

As morning rolled around and Hannibal presented Will with an exquisite breakfast in bed, the younger man was beginning to plan his master scheme. Cooking itself wasn't the obstacle, he had watched the expert do it enough times he could make an amazing meal if he tried. No, William was worried about entering the kitchen itself.

There were certain rules in the Lecter house. Some were more forgivable than others like switching the laundry when asked the first time or not leaving casework piled up in the bedroom but some were not just rules. They were law. This included those such as showering every day, eating every meal, and absolutely no self deprecation. These were rules where punishment was not negotiable no matter what excuse Will gave. If he didn't shower then Hannibal would spank him with the brush after giving him a bath or if he didn't eat then he'd be doing so after a strapping to give a few examples. The most important rule of all though was simple:

No entering the kitchen under any circumstances without direct and specific permission.

It there was anything Hannibal loved the most after Will himself it was his kitchen. The man treated it as a holy sanctuary where trespassers would be severely prosecuted. At first hearing of the rule and possible consequences, William just laughed. It seemed ridiculous to avoid such a public space as the kitchen but after a long meeting with one of Hannibal's thick wooden spoons he learned to take the rule seriously. Whether it be grabbing a snack or simple curiosity for what was for dinner though Will found himself over the doctor's lap for breaking the rule almost as often as he was punished for endangering himself.

While Hannibal would appreciate the gesture, there was no way the empath would get away with such deliberate disobedience unless he buttered him up with another present. It would be a genuine leather paddle embroidered with the phrase, "Daddy's Slut." The psychiatrist would get so excited and flustered he'd skip right to the night's festivities to try it out in a more intimate setting instead of pure discipline. The plan was fool proof through and through.

After a morning of cuddling in bed and a long hot shower together, they had decided to watch a movie with lunch until it was time for Hannibal to leave. While it wasn't a full work day both of them detested that he had to go to work at all on such an occasion. But it was Will's opportunity to put his plan in motion. While pretending to pay attention to the film, his gaze constantly traveled to the clock. Everything was clicking into place, exactly how to accomplish everything in an orderly fashion.

1:30 exactly the doctor would leave in order to arrive at his office at exactly 1:45. This was to leave plenty of time to prepare everything for his first patient at 2:00 and he wouldn't leave until the end of his last appointment at 6:00. That meant he'd be home at 6:30 since he'd most likely pick up flowers on the way home in his silly gentleman fashion. If all went accordingly, that left Will 30 minutes to check the pantry and fridge for ingredients he'd need and leave for the store, 30 minutes for shopping, 30 minutes to pick up the present and return home, 3 hours to prepare the meal, and 30 to set the table in the romantic way possible. The evening had to run like clockwork if he was expected to finish before Hannibal returned.

"Will?" the said man said, his voice cutting through the younger man's thoughts. "Will are you listening to me?"

Cheeks flushing, the brunette glanced up at him. "What? I'm sorry I didn't hear you. I was spacing out again."

He let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through Will's slightly damp curls. "That much is obvious. I was just reminding you to behave while I'm gone. Since you don't work today there's nothing to keep that mischievous little mind of yours under control and I don't want to get another call from startled neighbors that you're trying to fix the roof while it's still wet. Understand? Just because I'm not here doesn't mean the rules are suddenly null and void."

Though he tried to keep it from doing so, Will felt his cheeks grow warmer. All he could do was hope his face was neutral enough that his lover wouldn't get suspicious. To distract Dr. Lecter just in case he kissed along his jaw, a move that he had learned rendered the other almost defenseless. "I'm not a child, Hannibal. I think I can handle being home alone for four and a half hours. You have nothing to worry about."

Indeed Hannibal's face turned an amusing shade of red and he pressed his lips to his forehead and nose. "I know my sweet boy, but you do have a habit of naughtiness when you think I wouldn't be any the wiser. When will you learn that I always find out?"

"When getting caught by you stops being fun," he mused, chuckling as the Lithuanian flushed further. He kissed him harder and wrapped his arms around his neck so their foreheads were pressed together. "You better get ready, it's already 1:05. I'll put the dishes on the countertop so you can help me wash them when you return." Hannibal smiled and kissed him back, biting at his lip as his hands groped his hips.

"What would I do without you?"

"Use your left hand a whole lot more." The comment earned him a hard swat but it was more playful than mad so he just grinned cheekily. "Now one more kiss and you're getting ready. I don't want to hear you complain about how I make you late."

"And you wonder why I'm worried about you being naughty in my absence," the blond teased before pulling Will closer. There was a small fight for dominance inside the empath's mouth as their tongues entangled in the ever so familiar dance but of course Lecter won. "What's the score now?" he asked as they finally pulled away for air, "204-3?"

William rolled his eyes and pushed him back. "I'll catch up eventually, just you wait. Now go, I mean it. No don't give me that look you've wasted 3 minutes already."

"A moment is never wasted if it's with you," Hannibal hummed but he got off of the couch, "But I will do as the agreement stated. Just promise me to hold up your end of the bargain and behave for me."

The word "promise" made the deepest pits of Will's stomach begin to churn. Not telling the full truth was one thing, but promising to behave with full intent to disobey was nothing short of lying in its purest form. Breaking one of the big rules was dangerous, but two was practically presenting his ass on a platter to Hannibal. He made a mental note to get another present while he picked up the paddle.

Forcing a smile, Will gave a weak scout salute. "Promise. Are you going to stop stalling now?" The relief and gratitude that swept over the Lithuanian's features was enough to make the guilt grow tenfold in the matter of seconds.

"Thank you, Will. You have no idea how much your safety means to me, I don't want to spend all evening worrying if you're behaving yourself or not but I trust your promise."

Jesus fucking Christ if there's a god out there he's guilt tripping hard today, William thought as he tried to keep his smile from falling. "I'm glad. Go." With one last quick kiss to his forehead Hannibal finally left the room and the brunette collapsed with a long groan. He didn't understand why he was getting so worked up now. It's not like he had ill intentions or sinister motives, this was all to repay the love of his life. He was in the right.

Then why did he feel like such a shitty boyfriend?

He did his best to keep his composure as the doctor left for work, the guilt building with each kiss to the top of his hand or his nose. And of course he had to leave by saying, "I promise I'll make up my departure to you once I return my mongoose." Karma was rearing her ugly mug and headbutting Will hard. But it was his own fault for falling in love with such a perfect gentleman.

"Fucking shit," he grumbled as he watched Hannibal drive away, "I have a lot of work to do if I want to save my ass and conscience."

The meal preparation wasn't going exactly how he planned. It wasn't the fact that he couldn't find all the ingredients necessary for the native Lithuanian dishes he had planned (in fact he prided himself on how quickly he acquired them) or that he was running out of time.

He had just overestimated his cooking abilities.

Cursing under his breath despite the fact that the house was empty, he tended to a large burn while trying to keep the gaping knife wound across his palm from bleeding all over Hannibal's apron. Things had been coming along fine as he had finished preparing the Cepelinai and had begun working on the Balandėliai until he cut his hand open while cutting the onions.

The pain burned something fierce and he was so frantic to stop the bleeding he slipped on some water that had spilled on the tile and landed right on the stovetop, searing off layers of skin on his left forearm. Now the Cepelinai was burning and his knee was bruised from also running into the side of the countertop. What had seemed like a simple kind gesture was now turning into a disaster. Tears pricked at his eyes a combination of reacting to the chopped onions, the piercing pain in now both of his arms, and the familiar overwhelming disappointment in himself.

"What kind of man are you?" he muttered as he bandaged his hand carefully, turning the stove off, "Hannibal's given you a new life, a new reason for living, and all you can do is ruin dinner? It's a miracle he's stayed with you for this long when he's so out of your league. Pathetic."

And if that wasn't bad enough, his ears caught the familiar sound of the said savior's Bentley pulling into the driveway. His head snapped up as anxiety flooded his senses. It was only 5:30, he knew Hannibal's schedule inside and out he shouldn't have been done until 6:00 unless-

Unless his last patient of the day cancelled.

He let out a string of more colorful curses as he struggled to hide the half done food. There was no way the psychiatrist would let him get away with being in his kitchen if he didn't even have a decent meal as a peace offering. The only option was to try his best to hide everything and act like nothing had happened. If he rolled down the sleeves of his flannel the burn would be invisible and as long as he kept his hands in his pockets the knife wound would be hidden. Frantically shoving still hot pots and pans into cupboards and throwing ingredients back wherever he thought he remembered them belonging he rushed to the living room and jumped onto the couch as the front door opened.

To slow his breathing down he picked up a book that had been left on the coffee table and began to read. After all it was quite normal for Hannibal to enter the house unnoticed when Will's focus was elsewhere. Still he could feel his heart beating loudly against his sternum as he heard the blond's footsteps echo softly on the tile floor. He couldn't help but flinch when a pair of strong arms wrapped around his neck and warm lips brushed against his cheek. "I'm back my darling, did you miss me?"

He looked back at him in mock surprise. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you pull up. Otherwise I would've greeted you at the door." He almost winced at how effortlessly the lie rolled off his tongue. In fact he was close to confessing then and there when he noticed a perfectly wrapped present in one of Hannibal's hands. "What on earth is that?"

"I promised to make up my untimely departure to you, didn't I?" he purred into his ear, letting his empty hand travel Will's flannel. It should've turned him on but all he could do was panic as the Lithuanian's fingers neared his hidden burn. Luckily Dr. Lecter retreated back to the empath's shoulder and kissed his cheek again. "You can open the gift now if you'd like, it won't bite."

Swallowing hard, Will took the package and set it in his lap before slowly undoing the ribbon and unwrapping it. Once his eyes fell on what laid inside he could swear his heart stopped. "Hannibal you didn't."

It was a small scaled replica of the boat Will had been planning to build. Each mast was perfectly placed, the sails fully functional even in its miniature form, the hull exquisitely crafted, and the deck polished to perfection. His hands couldn't help but tremble as tears filled his eyes. "You made this by hand?"

There was a soft hum as the doctor ran his fingers through the brunette's hair. "I thought it would've been done sooner but the painting took me longer than expected. Not to mention I had to compile your various designs so it was as accurate as possible." A pause. "Do you like it? I know it's nothing fancy but-"

"Like it?" William finally choked out, "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Oh Hannibal I couldn't ask for a better present." He turned around to hug his partner tight, tears finally streaming down his cheeks. "Thank you. I'll cherish it forever."

He could feel Hannibal's breath hitch and wasn't surprised as he was lifted off of the couch into the older man's arms. "You're most welcome, Will. I'm glad to see that it has brought much joy to you."

That was when the brunette knew there was no way he could admit to his crimes. Imagining the man he had grown to love carving and painting ever little painstaking detail for hours on end until his fingers grew tired and weak made his heart swell with guilt at his own incompetence. He could never look him in the eye and confess that he not only broken his trust but ruined perfectly good food.

He'd rather die.

They stayed swaying in their loving embrace until Hannibal gently set him back onto the couch and smoothed his hair back so he could kiss his forehead. "I'm going to make us some dinner. You sit here and try to relax, okay?"

He managed a small nod and hid his bandaged hand in his pocket as he picked the book back up with the other. Of course he was beyond petrified at the thought of the Lithuanian finding a single item misplaced in his kitchen but it was too late to do anything about it. Protesting a homemade dinner would only raise suspicions. All he could do was pray to whatever person in the void of the universe that was giving him so much grief to spare his ass as Lector made his way into the kitchen.

The first drawer was opened, Hannibal was still humming Franz Liszt's Lieberstraum so nothing must've been found out of place. Another drawer, no negative reaction. As pots were set up on the counter Will began to breathe again. There was hope that his prayer had been answered. In fact he was celebrating internally when the pantry was opened and the sound of various food crashing to the floor echoed through the house.

The humming had stopped.

"William Graham." The way Hannibal growled out his full name in a tone that was still calm and collected sent a shiver down the empath's spine. When his lover was trying to remain calm so desperately then he was more than upset.

"Yes, sir?" he choked out meekly, his body beginning to tremble.

"Come here. Now." There was no fancy way of presenting the order, no lighthearted approach to the situation. The underlying message was clear and simple; "get your ass in here if you ever want to sit again."

Though his legs felt like jello, Will forced himself off the couch and dragged himself to the kitchen. Part of him wanted to attempt to lighten the mood by asking for permission to cross the barrier between the dining room and the kitchen but one look at his partner's face and the mess that surrounded him shut him up quickly.

Fruits had exploded against the tile, bits of their remains splattered on one of Hannibal's good pair of loafers. Vegetables rolled along the floor covering themselves with germs since there had been no time to mop today or the day before. A fresh bag of flour had tumbled to the ground and burst open to release a cloud of white that now coated everything within a three foot radius of the pantry. But the worst part of all was the fact that Will had absentmindedly shoved one of the pots of boiling water into that very pantry in his panic. Now the flour was becoming a sticky mass that coated the remains of the fruits, vegetables, and not only the doctor's shoes but his socks and the cuff of one of his favorite pairs of slacks. William didn't need to see the way the man's nostrils flared or how red his face was to know the obvious fact.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter was pissed.

"William," he started , making Will wince, "There seems to have been something that had taken place while I was gone. I think a burglar must have made it into the house unnoticed by you and decided to wreck my kitchen." There was no amusement to his tone and the empath could feel his stomach churn faster as he recognized where Hannibal was going with this. "After all it couldn't have been you since you are well aware of the rule and consequences of breaking said rule that clearly states that you are not allowed in my kitchen without permission and especially unsupervised. You also promised to me before I left to behave yourself in my absence so of course you wouldn't have deliberately disobeyed along with breaking my trust, right William? I'm just glad the burglar didn't harm you -"

"Stop it!" Will begged as tears spilled over onto his cheeks once again, "Don't you think I feel like a pathetic piece of shit already?! I never needed your help with that!"

There was silence except for the sobs that Will struggled to keep under control. "Why?" Hannibal finally asked quietly, his soft voice revealing the hurt and disappointment he usually was too embarrassed and stubborn to show. It cut through the brunette with a pain that far surpassed any wound he had inflicted on himself that evening. "Why did you try to hide it from me? You could've saved yourself so much grief. Did you think I'd be too upset to understand?"

Vigorously shaking his head, William's shoulders shook with sobs. "I just wanted to do something nice for you! You've done so much for me and I have nothing to offer in return so I thought I could make you a nice dinner with all of your favorite food or whatever from your home country and we would 'dine in candlelight' as your favorite music played but I can't do anything right! You've dealt with my bullshit for a full year and I can't even give you a decent meal." He rubbed at his eyes as he sniffled, tears soaking his sleeve. "How pathetic am I? After all the amazing things you've done for me all I can give you is trouble."

Another beat of silence passed before Will was pulled into a tight embrace. "Oh my sweet William," Hannibal sighed as he ran his fingers through his thick curls, "You still don't get it after all this time. This relationship isn't and has never been a one-sided affair. The only reason I'm so inclined to shower you with gifts is because the joy you've brought to my life is of an indescribable value. Before you came into my life I was a lonely, sad, bitter man who never expected he would find anything close to love. But you..." His breath hitched and he held Will tighter as if he was afraid to let go and lose him. "You understand me like no one else can. The fear I once felt to show my emotions and face my past disappears in your presence." Will began to cry softly into Lecter's chest, clinging to him desperately. "William, I try so hard to make you ignore the voice in your head that screams of your shortcomings and monstrous nature because I know the truth. Not only are you the best thing to have ever happened to me, but you are the strongest, kindest, sincerest, hardworking person anyone would have the pleasure of meeting. The fact that you planned such a perfect evening for me speaks volumes about your true character. The one I see no matter how many times you fall into darkness. I love you expecting nothing of material value in return because loving you until the day we die is more than enough for me."

That absolutely broke him and Will began to wail uncontrollably, blubbering what had happened in an incoherent mess. "You left so I went to the kitchen and messed with your ingredients and then went to the store even though I told you I'd stay home and I ran over someone's foot with my cart without apologizing and I knew you'd be mad about the whole breaking the rules thing even if I made an amazing meal so I wanted to bribe you with more presents so you wouldn't beat my ass so I picked up some stupid leather paddle and some new plates you'd like and then I came home and went back into the kitchen again because I'm stupid and then I was cooking and cut my hand open because onions can go suck a-"

Up until this point Hannibal had been rubbing Will's back comfortingly as he listened to his wailing. But as soon as he processed the fact his teacup had injured himself he interrupted. "Excuse me?"

Pulling away, the psychiatrist placed both hands on his shaking shoulders. "William, William look at me right now. I need you to calm down and answer me truthfully, no beating around the bush or outright lying to me." He waited until he had Will's full attention before calmly asking, "Did you hurt yourself while I was gone?"

"It wasn't on purpose," he whimpered, upset Hannibal had stopped hugging him, "I was trying to cut some onions and the next thing I knew my palm is bleeding. I tried to dress it safely and stop the bleeding!" he reassured when the blond's expression grew concerned, "I really did I promise!"

"But?"

Uncomfortable silence followed. "But I sorta tripped and burnt my arm really bad," Will whispered, his cheeks turning a deep pink, "But I-"

He was cut off by Hannibal grabbing him by the back of his neck and forcefully leading him to the bathroom. "I swear William Graham," he growled in his ear, "If you've seriously injured yourself and dressed it horribly with full intent to hide said wounds from me I'm whipping your sorry ass all the way to the hospital."

Shuddering at his stern tone and the very thought of such a punishment, the empath felt his face grow warm. "Hannibal, I promise I was going to tell you everything but then you gave me that amazing gift. I know it's the same as lying and I'm really sorry and I'll make it up to you somehow like cleaning that awful mess that's all my fault-"

"William," he interrupted, cutting him off once again as he lifted him onto the bathroom counter, "I'm not mad because you tried to do something nice for me. In fact I find it rather endearing. I'm disappointed that you decided to break my rules in order to do so." He took Will's bandaged hand and began to carefully unwrap it. He let out a sigh of relief once he saw that it wasn't horribly deep. "You're lucky it's so superficial, any deeper and it would've required stitches. I'm going to clean it up and I expect that you let me redress it for the next few days so I can keep an eye on it."

"Yes, sir," he mumbled, his gaze glued to the floor as tears welled up in his eyes again. Hannibal being mad was bearable, Will was rather accustomed with people being upset with him. But disappointment was absolutely torturous. "I'm sorry."

"I know, my mongoose," he reassured him gently, kissing his nose in an attempt to cheer him up a little, "Hopefully this will be the last time I have to punish you for such overwhelming disobedience." He finished cleaning the wound and dressing it before planting a sort kiss to his palm. "Now, show me where the burn is."

With great reluctance, William forced himself to roll up his sleeve, wincing at the sharp intake of breath the Lithuanian took. "It's not as bad as it looks-"

"Don't you even start that bullshit with me, young man," Hannibal scolded as he pulled out some aloe, "If you had tried to take care of that yourself then it would've ended up infected. This will sting at first but trust me when I say it'll make it feel better in the long run."

He tried to bite his lip to keep himself from reacting to the pain but after the doctor began to apply it to his forearm Will hissed and drummed his feet against the side of the counter. "Fucking shit that does NOT just sting!"

Dr. Lecter sighed as he tried to tend to it more gently. "I know baby, but I need you to calm down. Fussing about it won't make the pain go away. Why don't you explain what happened after you got burned, hmm?" He hoped changing the subject would distract him enough where he could finish in somewhat peace.

The empath sighed and winced at Hannibal continuing to clean the skin. "Well... After I burnt myself I put it under cold water since it's the only thing I knew to do with heat based injuries. In fact... I was wrapping my hand when I heard you pull into the driveway. I kinda panicked and just threw stuff wherever I could remember getting them from. So if you find half-made Balandėliai in the fridge or overdone Cepelinai in one of your cupboards then that's from my attempt to cover everything up. I jumped on the couch and managed to grab a book as you unlocked the door and well, you know the rest."

Will tried to gauge just how much trouble he was in by watching how the Lithuanian reacted to the finale of his story. He was concerned to see his eyebrows furrow at the part where he began to throw things where they were guessed to belong but the brunette felt some relief when Lecter smiled softly at the mention of the native dishes. But by the end the neutral, unreadable face had returned. All William could do was sit in silence as his arm was wrapped and let his dark thoughts of what misery was to come fill his consciousness.

"So," Hannibal finally started as he began to apply the final bandage, startling Will slightly back into reality, "Let me see if I've got the list of your crimes correct. You lied straight to my face when you promised to behave yourself since you had already planned your master scheme prior to the conversation which also broke my trust in the process, left the house without informing me, entered my kitchen multiple times despite knowing it was against the rules, injured yourself due to your disobedience, attempted to hide your naughtiness from me which ended up creating an even bigger mess, lied to me again when I returned, fully intended to keep not one but TWO serious injuries from me that if left unattended could've ended with you in the hospital, and insulted yourself multiple times once you were caught." He pinned the bandage and placed his hands on either side of William so he was trapped with no where to look but right into his burning amber irises. "Am I missing anything?"

Will shrunk down with each item on the list and winced at the mention of the self deprecation since he had forgotten about that part. Hearing them all at once like that made his face turn crimson as he began to realize just how much trouble he was in. "No, sir. That's all of it."

Hannibal nodded and lifted him back onto the ground, taking his chin gently so he had Will's full attention. "I'm going to start dinner. While I do that I want you in the corner thinking about how you could've gone about this differently. Afterwards you are showing me the paddle you bought and we will have a further discussion about your misbehavior. There will be no arguing, no snide remarks, and absolutely no attempts to justify your naughtiness. Have I made myself clear?"

Sniffling, William nodded. "Verbally, Will."

"Yes, sir."

"Good." His lover released his shoulders and gave him a swat towards the living room. "Go on, I expect no dawdling."

Yelping at the unexpected smack, Will pouted and covered his ass as he made his way towards the corner. After a few moments staring at the wallpaper listening to the psychiatrist put away all of the medical supplies he had used he grew restless. With a small whine, the empath looked over his shoulder and crossed his arms. "I said I'm sorry."

"Yes you did," Hannibal agreed, rolling up his sleeves as he entered the kitchen, "And I believe that there is no talking or moving in the corner. Put your hands behind your back and behave before you lose pants privileges. I don't want to hear a single sound or see your face until I call you over for dinner. This is your only warning." He raised an eyebrow as the brunette groaned. "An apology doesn't excuse your behavior, Will. If your attitude doesn't improve by the time dinner is done you are going to be a very sorry boy."

William's cheeks flushed red as he was scolded and turned to face the corner before reluctantly putting his hands behind his back. It wasn't the fact that standing still for 15 minutes plus was impossible, it was more the mere concept of "corner-time" that he despised. Being forced to stand quietly with his nose in the corner and quite often a red backside on display for such a long time made him feel like a naughty little child. Every time Hannibal threatened to put him in the dreaded "time-out" he always felt his cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. Of course when he brought this complaint up to the psychiatrist he only laughed and said, "That's the point. I'm glad to know it's so effective at doing its job."

There was one good thing about being sent to the corner, he had plenty of time to think. Unfortunately he usually ended up thinking about how stupid he was to get himself in such a position or his impending doom. This time he chose the latter.

_Why did you have to buy a leather fucking paddle as a peace offering, huh?_ he scolded himself as he glared at his shoes, _Most people who are hoping for a sex filled evening would get something like a nice cock ring or some lingerie but no, you had to find yourself a man who has a thing for spanking and a leather fetish. Oh god what if he decides to spank me all night? Of course I'd feel too guilty to safeword out of it which will get me into more trouble and then my ass will be so sore I won't even have the energy for a good fucking before bed. How pitiful would that be not even getting anything besides shower sex on your one year anniversary? But you never thought anniversaries mattered anyway so-_

"William!" Hannibal called, snapping Will out of his trance, "You may exit the corner and join me at the dining room table for dinner."

Blushing, he turned around and entered the dining room as he wrung his hands. "Sorry, I got lost in thought again. I hope that wasn't your fifth attempt to get my attention."

Dr. Lecter chuckled softly as he brought the food in and set it down on the table with the grace of an angel that Will couldn't help but envy. "It was only my third, don't fret. I know it's hard for you to get out of that head of yours. If you don't mind, I'd love for you to get the new dishes you mentioned and set the table while I make my final preparations."

Albeit confused about what preparations would be left with all the food on the table, the brunette nodded and rushed to the guest room where he had hidden the presents. It was a lovely dining set that told stories of Greek mythology along the rims. Hannibal had always loved going on and on telling him of the myths beneath starry skies or under the covers when neither of them could sleep. Those stories carried some of the empath's fondest memories with his lover.

He unpacked it quickly and carefully carried pairs of plates and bowls back to the dining room. I'm fact he was so concentrated on making sure he didn't break or chip anything that when he looked up at the table he was so startled he almost dropped everything.

The velvet table cloth had been laid out and rose petals were ever so carefully spread across the table top. Silver platters of the Lithuanian cuisine Will had failed in preparing earlier were now before him in all of their glory, the aroma enough to knock him over. He looked over at Hannibal who was lighting the last candles on the ivory candelabra, mouth agape. "Hannibal you didn't have to do all this -"

"Nonsense," the blond scoffed, setting it gingerly on the center of the table, "You were so excited for a nice meal together as we dined on candlelight that it only seemed proper that I didn't let your plan go to waste." He turned to smile warmly at which absolutely melted Will's heart. "Now show me the beautiful dishes you bought me."

His cheeks flushed and he held out the plates. "It's nothing compared to a hand crafted boat model but I thought you'd appreciate the design." He paused as the psychiatrist picked up the bowls that told the story of Persephone and Hades. "Happy anniversary, Dr. Lecter."

Will watched with anticipation and anxiety as his fingertips traced the patterns of Persephone's curls and Hades' helm of darkness. "Well? Is it worth all the trouble I've caused you today?"

His answer was the dishes being removed from his grasp and set on the table so Hannibal could wrap him in a tight embrace. That was surprising enough but what truly caught the empath off guard was feeling warm tears begin to soak his shirt.

"Thank you Will," the psychiatrist breathed into his ear, his voice trembling as he struggled to not cry, "I couldn't ask for a better gift. You know me so well." Now William was desperately trying to keep himself from sobbing, tears stinging his eyes.

"Please don't flatter me, it's just some plates and bowls you have plenty of those."

"Yes," Hannibal agreed as he pulled away and took Will's hands into his own, "But none of them share such beautiful sentiment and thought behind their presentation." Kissing the top of Will's hand, he let their foreheads rest against one another. "It's a treasure that I will hold dear as long as I hold the honor of cherishing the greatest gift of all which is you."

The brunette's face turned a deep crimson. "Careful, you might give me diabetes with how thick you're laying that sugar down. Your sweet nothings are almost too much for me to handle."

With an amused smirk Lecter planted kisses along his knuckles. "And you're too sweet for me but I still allow myself to drown in the depths of your overwhelming beauty and charm. I don't waste words my teacup, I mean everything I say with no uncertainty. Do you believe that, Will? Do you trust that my love for you is genuine?" Each word was hot on Will's neck, begging to be branded into his flesh.

"Of course," he managed to get out, blood this time rushing to his member, "Now can we eat? I'm starving."

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

The meal was as lovely as expected and in their profuse lust for one another slow danced to Mascagni's Intermezzo around the table. In fact it was so romantic and over the top in typical Hannibal fashion that Will had all but forgotten about the impending punishment until the psychiatrist cleared his throat as he began to put away the dishes. "I'd like to see the paddle you bought earlier."

The empath's head snapped up and confusion crossed his features quickly followed by dread. "Oh Hannibal can't it wait until morning? We were having so much fun." His stomach began to twist into tight knots as his lover shook his head.

"Now Will, we both know delaying punishment for the sake of prolonging enjoyment is never an option. Now go do as I said."

With a small whine and a begging gaze that was met with no sympathy, William huffed and headed back to the guest room once again. _Stupid paddle,_ he grumbled to himself as he unwrapped it, _I should just throw you out the window and claim I lost you in all the earlier commotion._

But he knew that wasn't an option. The Lithuanian would see right through his ploy and order him to retrieve it after washing his mouth out with soap for lying again. And then he'd be reminded just why he wanted to get rid of the stupid thing in the first place. It was safer to behave now and hopefully convince Lecter with his perfect obedience that a spanking wasn't necessary. Of course it was a long shot but he could dream.

Swallowing hard, Will held the implement close to his chest and walked slowly to the dining room. His feet felt like lead until the harsh order, "Now William" magically made him scurry as fast as he could. Hannibal was putting away clean dishes, the table already cleared and the food packed away in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. How he managed to clean up so fast and efficiently always astounded the brunette.

Acknowledging his return, the older man dried off his hands and strode over, his face unreadable. There was no words, all he did was hold out his hand. Even though it embarrassed him greatly, Will gulped and placed the paddle in his grasp.

As Hannibal turned it over a few times, studying every detail, the empath searched his face for a reaction. Disgust? Lust? Maybe even just pure joy? Of course what he saw was sly amusement as a smirk graced his lips.

"Genuine leather," he mumbled to himself, slapping it against his hand which made Will wince, "Great sting and flexibility... Strong cowhide wrapped handle for perfect grip and control..." But then his eyes fell on the embroidered message. "'Daddy's slut'?" he read aloud, glancing back up at him with a raised eyebrow. This caused William's face to flush crimson all the way to the tips of his ears. "While I don't disagree with the statement, I am curious how you expected this to save your ass."

He cleared his throat awkwardly and scratched his cheek in an attempt to force the blood elsewhere. "Well the funny thing is I assumed tonight was going to entail spanking of some form whether I misbehaved or not so I was kind of hoping that..." The blush came back at full force and he found sudden interest in the ground as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was hoping that seeing it would make you so horny that it'd trump the whole discipline thing and you'd want to move on to more fun stuff instead." He paused and looked up at him with a sheepish grin. "Did it work?"

"Oh no I can assure you that it most definitely backfired." That made him groan and drop his gaze again but Hannibal chuckled and lifted his chin up with the handle of the paddle. "Don't be so upset it's a great present." All amusement disappeared from his face and he lowered the paddle to hand it back to Will. "But I cannot excuse your behavior. To do so would damage the relationship we've created for a full year and break your sense of safety. I know that I'm one of the few things that stays consistent in your life and without it you'd fall apart all over again. I love you too much to do that to you." He paused to let that sink in and gently wrapped Will's trembling fingers around the implement. "I want you to take that upstairs to the bedroom and wait for me. I need to clean this mess up before it ruins my floors."

The empath's eyes filled with tears and he clung to Dr. Lecter desperately. "Please," he whimpered, "Don't make me wait alone. I'm sorry."

With a sympathetic sigh the psychiatrist kissed his forehead. "I know you're sorry, but this needs to be done. There will be no more protests about it." He kissed him again before gently pulling his arm out of his grasp. "Now go, Will. I'm not asking again."

Choking back sobs as tears streamed down his cheeks, William took a tentative step back, searching his lover's gaze for any hope of getting out of this. But he was met only with a stern demeanor that gave no room for argument. He bit his trembling bottom lip before finally turning and running up the stairs.

He wasn't sure exactly why he was getting so worked up over something as childish as a spanking but he couldn't stop the sound of his heart pounding in his chest or blood rushing through his ears. It was close to an anxiety attack but deep down he knew this was so much more.

It was the thought of being alone with his thoughts that terrified him.

As he slammed the door shut, he practically collapsed onto the bed as his heartbeat quickened. The room was spinning in a kaleidoscope fashion, his vision blurring from a mixture of tears, vertigo, and his glasses slipping off his face. He began to hyperventilate, his chest tightening as he struggled to calm himself down. _Breathe_, he told himself as he trembled, _Breathe in, breathe out. You're going to make yourself sick and he hasn't even touched you yet._

_But isn't that the problem?_ He shuddered as the voice chuckled and crawled along his spine. _You promised to do everything right and now he's downstairs cleaning up the mess you made. How fair is that, hmm? You crave his presence, his touch, and you have been banished to the bedroom to stew in your incompetence. Aptly appropriate, isn't it?_

"Shut up," he mumbled, shoulders shaking as he sat up and gripped his head with his nails digging into the soft flesh of his scalp. "It's not forever, he'll come back to get me. He always does."

_Do you deserve him, though?_ Will's breath hitched as the shadows danced before his eyes even when he shut them tight. _Do you deserve him in your life? He's given everything to fix you and here you are talking to yourself, an emotional mess. How long will it take before you break and hurt him in some psychotic stupor? Not that it would be the first time._

"I'm getting better," he managed to whimper, "I'm not as unstable as I was before."

_Tell yourself that all you want, that doesn't make it true. _He placed his head between his knees as his body shook with sobs, he tried to keep his ears closed or think about anything else but to escape one's mind was the hardest feat of them _So here you are, not only a mess, but a mess all alone._

That's when he heard it, whistling that broke through the static. He lifted his head slowly as the sound of Hannibal sweeping the floor while whistling to Vivaldi's Four Seasons. _But you're not alone,_ the psychiatrist's voice whispered in his head, soothing him immediately, _You've never been._

Taking a deep breath, Will sat up straight and glanced at the paddle that laid next to him. "I'm not alone," he whispered to himself, "I'm in our house, in our bedroom. When he's done he'll come get me and hold me close before doing what he has to. And even though it's going to hurt he'll still be there once it's done. He's been with you this long, William Graham, he's not leaving anytime soon." He paused and chuckled. "He's too stubborn." He took another breath and picked up the paddle, gently placing it in his lap. "I'm not a monster… I am worthy of his love."

There was a knock on the door that startled him out of his trance. His head snapped up as Hannibal entered, shutting the door softly behind him. "...it wasn't too hard to clean up was it?"

"Nothing I can't handle," he mused. He sat down beside him and took his hand into his, rubbing the top of it with his thumb. "What have you been thinking about while I was gone? And before you start I want you to tell me the truth, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Will sighed and let his head rest on his lover's shoulder, tightening his grip on his hand. "Honestly, it started off pretty bad. I got consumed by that stupid voice that hates my entire existence for a while. I'm pretty sure I was close to having a nervous breakdown." Lecter brought his other hand up to run his fingers through his curls calmingly, obviously concerned. "But," he reassured him gently, "I heard you whistling. I'm not sure why it took me this long to figure it out but I'm not alone even if we're not right next to each other. No matter how stupid the decision I make or how many times I mess up you're going to be there for me. That's all I can ask for."

The psychiatrist smiled softly and kissed the top of his head. "I'm proud of you, Will. I know it must've been hard but you got through it without my direct help. I hope you realize just how much progress you've made this year."

"I know," the brunette hummed, nuzzling him, "I'm not sure where I'd be without you and I'm not sure if I want to even think about it. Thank you for everything." They stayed like that for a few moments before Hannibal cleared his throat and pulled away.

p"While I'd love to just cuddle for the rest of the evening, we both know what needs to be done."

Will sighed and nodded, releasing his hold on the Lithuanian even though it pained him to do so. "I know, what do you want me to do?"

It was always interesting to watch how quickly his partner could transform from the loving romantic he was usually in the bedroom to a stern disciplinarian. His gaze hardened slightly and he set the paddle to the side. "I want you to strip down, there will be no need for clothes to be getting in the way for this punishment."

Undressing in front of Hannibal for sex was one thing since they were both going to end up naked, but doing it for a spanking was always embarrassing. It made his face turn a deep crimson as he fumbled with the buttons of his flannel or tried to make sure nothing got caught in his fly. Again, it was more the childish nature of baring one's backside that made him get so flustered.

As he finally peeled off his last sock, he awkwardly stood in front of the blond with his hands behind his back. He was thankful that Hannibal's gaze never left his face, always maintaining eye contact even with his cock on full display. It was simple but always made him feel secure.

The Lithuanian nodded approvingly and patted his lap. "I'll begin with a warm up, I don't want to jump straight into the paddle and end up hurting you." He took Will's trembling hand and gently let him go his right side. "Can you get over yourself or do you need my help? No don't give me that look, there's nothing wrong with asking for help. But if you need it then you're going to have to use your words."

"You don't have to talk to me like that, you know," he grumbled as he switched his weight from foot to foot and wrinkled his nose, "I'm not a little kid." After a few moments of uncomfortable silence he finally sighed and dropped his gaze. "I can't do it by myself."

"Then what do you need to tell me?"

He shot him a desperate look but Hannibal offered no sympathy. With a long moan he forced himself to look the blond in the eye. "Hannibal, can you please put me over your lap?"

"So I can give your naughty bottom the attention it deserves? Of course I can."

"Hannibaaaal!" Will whined as he was guided over his knee, "Don't use those stupid words. I hate them!" His hand instinctively shot back to cover the aforementioned naughty bottom but Lecter anticipated the reaction and gently pinned his wrist to the small of his back.

"I know you hate them but I will use them as often as I like because your behavior was exactly that of a naughty child," he scolded as he shifted the empath until his pale ass was perfectly propped up on his left thigh. Knowing that he would have to eventually anyway, he still couldn't help but whine as Dr. Lecter wrapped his right leg around Will's so they were restrained. He had a nasty habit of kicking so hard he'd hurt both of them in his tantrum. "William Graham," he continued sternly as he rested his hand on the younger man's trembling right buttock, "You are being spanked for lying, disobeying multiple orders, and injuring yourself in the process of said disobedience. A week of bedtime punishments will also be in order for your insolent behavior. I expect you to cooperate and keep your hands to yourself unless you want me to tie them up, understand?"

His whole body began to shake as Hannibal began to pat the bare skin in an annoying rhythm that had him tensing with anticipation for the first smack. "Yes, sir."

"Good. I would like you to ask me politely for me to begin the first stage of your punishment."

He thought about firing back some snide remarks but the guilt that weighed down his stomach convinced him to comply. "Sir," he swallowed hard and squirmed a little in an attempt to get somewhat comfortable, "I have been a very bad boy while you were gone. I broke your trust, went into the kitchen without permission, and injured myself with full intent to hide my misbehavior from you. Will you please spank my naughty bottom red so I never lie or disobey your rules especially pertaining to the kitchen ever again?"

As Hannibal removed his hand, he couldn't help but flinch and clench his buttocks. "You're not a bad boy, Will," he said sternly, "I never want to hear you say that again. You are a very good boy who made some naughty decisions. But yes, I will spank you so you learn that my rules are put in place because I love you." With that it began.

One of the worst parts about receiving a spanking was waiting for the first blow. Hannibal always enjoyed drawing out the tension until the empath was squirming over his lap like a restless child. While Will obviously wasn't thrilled at being punished in such an undignified manner he'd rather get it over with quickly. This case was no different and as the clock continued to tick loudly in his head he groaned and let his body relax for a moment.

Of course that was the doctor's cue to strike.

Two thundering smacks to each cheek echoed throughout the room. Before Will had time to register or react to the pain besides a sharp intake of breath, a volley of harsh slaps alternating between the buttocks set his ass ablaze. Biting back a cry of pain he gripped Hannibal's pant leg and bit into the duvet to stifle his yelps. The pain wasn't unbearable in the slightest, but the shock of not only the sting but the sound of an open palm meeting bare flesh startled him horribly.

"Ooh," he whined as he drummed his feet against the floor, digging his toes into the carpet for a moment to still his legs but his muscles seemed to ignore his wishes, "Hannibal please you're starting too fast!" The blows slowed slightly but it didn't help how much they stung. He pressed his face further into the bed and crossed his ankles in an attempt to stay still but a slap to one of his sitspots made him gasp and arch his back. "Please not there! It hurts so much!"

Finally his lover spoke. "A spanking as a punishment isn't supposed to be pleasant, Will," he reminded him sternly as he slapped the other side of the undercurve of his now throbbing backside, "And we're no where close to being done with this conversation."

"Well then we should just sit down and talk about it like normal- ooow!" he howled as a quick succession of flat handed strokes all landed right on his crack. He pushed up onto his toes which pressed his hips into Hannibal's thigh and in turn exposed his sitspots further to the seemingly never-ending assault on his now rosie pink ass. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to sass you!"

"You have to learn to control that tongue of yours, Will," he tsked, turning his attention to the sides of his bottom so not a single area was untouched, "It gets you into more trouble every single time. That and your refusal to listen to common sense before it's too late. I know you must have had second thoughts about going behind my back even if it was for the sake of surprising me. Your intentions were and almost are always good. It's the going about innocent ideas in naughty ways that ends with you over my knee once again."

The guilt churned and doubled in size as he was scolded. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks and he began to sniffle pitifully. "I'm sorry Hannibal. I've been so awful and I ruined everything- Fucking shit!" The shriek was from the Lithuanian tipping him forward and slapping his sitspots furiously.

"I'm not going to tell you again," he growled, raising his arm higher with each stroke, "You're never allowed to talk about yourself in such a negative fashion. Someone as precious and talented as you has no right to criticize themselves so harshly. Do we need to go back to the daily ten nice things about yourself, hmm? Do we, William?"

Will couldn't hold back his sobs any longer and cried into the mattress as he squirmed desperately to get his ass out of the line of fire. "No we don't I'm sorry it just slipped! No more bad things about me I promise!" He felt humiliated crying like a child over Hannibal's lap but was thankful when the assault stopped. As he was stood up he choked out a sob and rubbed furiously at his puffy eyes. "I'm so sorry!"

"I know baby, I need you to take a deep breath and calm down." Lecter gently wiped away his tears before placing his hands on the brunette's hips to keep him place. "Shh, Will look at me. No stop that right this instant," he chided gently as Will's hands shot back immediately to rub the pain out of his butt, "You know better than to rub, put your hands behind your head. That's a good boy, breathe in and breathe out. Good job, my mongoose."

Hiccuping as he tried to calm down, William nodded and interlocked his fingers so he could rest the palms of his hands on the back of his neck. He was thankful that Hannibal had stood him between his knees and held onto him since his legs were shaking. "It hurts so much," he finally whimpered after his heart rate returned to normal.

"Yes, that's an expected side effect when one has a succession of blows applied to their bare backside," the psychiatrist teased gently, smiling when Will managed to chuckle. His gaze quickly hardened though and the brunette felt dread once again fill his stomach. "I think we need to have a long chat not only about your awful tendency to insult yourself but your nasty habit of lying to me in order to either keep me from worrying about you or an attempt to get yourself out of trouble. I know that you are well aware that all of the above are unacceptable behaviors which you engaged in today."

He let out a small whine and squirmed uncomfortably since there was no way for him to avoid the eye contact that made him feel like he was a small child being scolded by his father. "I'm not trying to be self deprecating, it just slips out."

"I know, and that's why I think we need to try something new in order to eradicate that habit completely. I am NOT going to stand by and watch you tear yourself down every time you think you haven't been good enough or not done your job right. It hurts me so much to hear you speak of yourself in such a negative way and infuriates me because you're insulting something I love." He paused as Will looked down in shame, his cheeks tinted pink. "Because your behavior has vastly deteriorated since I stopped requiring your list of ten positive things about yourself, I think we're going to have to bring that back and wean off of it instead of just cutting it off. There might be some other adjustments to the method but we'll figure that out as we go. That was a mistake made on my part regarding your treatment."

"Hannibal no I don't need it-!" he began to argue but was cut off by a sharp smack to his thigh that made him yelp. "Ow! What was that for?"

His lover raised an eyebrow and pulled William closer to smack his other thigh. "You know exactly what that was for. I think we need to start your list right now and the longer you dawdle the longer your punishment. Now," the brunette yelped as two hard smacks landed again, "Give me your first two."

"Oh god please don- Fuck!" he shrieked as Hannibal continued to spank his left thigh, "This is so embarrassing!"

"The sooner you cooperate," the Lithuanian sternly reminded him, not letting up in the blows in the slightest, "The sooner it's over. I'd rather not be here all night due to your stubbornness. But trust me when I say that my hand will outlast your ass. Every single time." He punctuated each word of the final statement with slaps that echoed throughout the room.

Will howled and shifted his weight from foot to foot to alleviate the sting, finding it suddenly harder to keep his hands behind his head as they were itching to protect his butt. "Okay okay I'm um… geez it's hard to think when you're beating me senseless- shit! Okay I'm really smart and I'm empathetic!"

Giving a nod of approval, Dr. Lecter placed the hand back on William's hip. That gave him a moment of relief but then the psychiatrist's other hand immediately began its onslaught onto his right thigh which made him cry out and squirm. "That's a good start, now there's only 8 more to go. While I do appreciate you picking a trait of yours that you say brings you so much grief and putting a positive spin on it, if you want me to stop sooner then you're going to have to pick up the pace."

That elicited a groan from Will followed by high pitched yelps. There were many "styles" of spanking that the empath absolutely detested. Being spanked while standing was definitely up on his top five least favorite due to the way he had to keep his hands behind his head and squirm fruitlessly since there was nowhere for him to go. Dancing around while searing white pain traveled through his hindquarters was as humiliating as it was agonizing. Especially with him concentrating the smacks to his thighs since it sent shivers up to his throbbing buttocks, reigniting the pain with each round of blows. It was right under the legs up position that of course Hannibal absolutely loved since it gave him perfect access not only to his sitspots but he could see Will's face while punishing him.

Biting back a squeal he tried his hardest to think of things faster. "I can't do it, Hannibal! I can't think of that many! Can't we just start with five?"

The Lithuanian tsked and shook his head. "I said ten, I stick by what I said. And I know you can think of ten because there is infinitely more than a measly ten things that are good about you. Just think about all of the things I've said about you and maybe you'll find some inspiration before your thighs turn crimson."

That actually got him to pause, the wheels in his head turning. In the two months of the ten things therapy he had never once thought of that. He had just expected to rely on his constant negative view of himself which now explained why it was so hard at first (and now) to come up with so many nice things. "I'm kind?"

The way Hannibal's eyes lit up was enough to tell him he was finally getting it. "Perfect. That's your third."

"I-I'm trying hard to change for the better even though it's hard… I'm determined."

"Exactly. I'll count that as two. You're halfway there, my teacup." The intensity and speed of the smacks were slowly beginning to decrease.

"I'm a hard worker. I'm really good at my job even though I can't save everyone. I…" his eyebrows furrowed in thought, "I'm better at holding eye contact now. Does that count?"

"Of course it does darling, this is about what you find good about yourself. Your progress should always be something you're proud of." Lecter was now alternating between thighs, only spanking him every five seconds with not nearly as much vigor. "Look me right in the eye when you say the last two. Show me that at least part of you is starting to believe."

With a trembling bottom lip he met Hannibal's gaze. He had to try to believe it, for the both of them. "I'm not a monster no matter how many times that damn voice tells me I am. I'm worthy of your love even if I mess up sometimes."

Fat tears rolled down his cheeks as Lecter let go of his hips to pull him close. "That was absolutely perfect," he whispered comfortingly, "Take a deep breath, you got through it beautifully and once you get your well earned paddling we can move forward, learning from our mistakes."

Will managed a nod as he took the hug as his cue for permission to put his hands down and hugged his lover tight. "Thank you. I'm sorry you had to punish me when all you wanted was to have a nice day together. Ow!" he squeaked when Hannibal swatted his backside. "What was that for?!"

"You will not apologize for such a thing," he scolded him firmly, his voice still quiet but demanding the empath's attention and obedience, "Just because I have to punish you doesn't mean that the day is ruined in any capacity and I know that's exactly what you were thinking. I'm fine with you feeling remorseful for breaking my rules but the guilt tripping ends now. Have I made myself clear?"

Feeling his face flush once again he buried his face into Dr. Lecter's shoulder. "Yes, sir." Even though he constantly argued with the psychiatrist during such punishments that he wasn't a child and had no need to be treated as such, he found himself enjoying the embrace that not only made him feel secure but the very thing he protested.

And for once he didn't mind.

"But there is one more thing we need to discuss before moving on to the paddle," Hannibal hummed, gently prying Will off of him so their gazes met. His expression hardened and he gripped Will's hips once again. "You will never, EVER lie to me again. Especially about something as serious as an injury if you ever want to sit comfortably again. And if you do find yourself caught in the middle of a lie you better confess before I find the truth out myself. The consequences will be much more severe and I will not be as generous as I was this time as I should've washed your naughty mouth out with soap the moment the tales of your mischief came to light. Understand?"

While Will would've liked to protest that a meeting with a brand new leather paddle was nothing close to "generous" he decided that it was better to just behave himself for now as his thighs and ass burned something fierce. "Yes, sir. No more lying."

Hannibal gave a curt nod, approving of his partner's admittance of guilt and his promise to keep from trouble. The next bit would be harsher than the warm up, no doubt, but it was necessary to solidify his point. That in mind, he patted Will's hip gently, a consoling gesture, before shifting back to allow him room, "Back over my knee. Let's get this done with, darling,"

Swallowing hard, William turned to cross back over to his lover's right side but was halted by the blond grabbing his hand. "My apologies, I should've explained better. I want you to straddle my left leg."

"Hannibal no!" Will argued, turning towards him to give a pitiful begging look, "I hate that one. You can see everything!" Straddling over anything meant not only would his ass and thighs be in danger of the paddle's fury but his sensitive inner cheeks as well.

"That wasn't your complaint this morning," Dr. Lecter replied cheekily with a sly smirk causing the brunette to turn a deep crimson, "And there were places unfortunately neglected during your warm up that desperately need my attention." Will let out a small moan as Hannibal's other hand trailed along his spine before teasing his crack. "Unless you'd rather bend over the bed and spread them for me? I personally wouldn't mind the sight of you squirming with each stroke as your fingers struggled to keep your twitching hole exposed."

"You fucking sadist," he grumbled but the blood rushing down to his member told otherwise. The way the Lithuanian casually described how he'd look in such a vulnerable position embarrassed and excited him all at once. "Fine, I'll do it. But I'm going to need a pillow to hold on to. You can't hold my hand well in that position."

There was a moment of hesitation as Hannibal grabbed a pillow, but William slowly adjusted himself before crawling onto the older man's thigh so he was facing the wall at his side. He heard the psychiatrist hum approvingly before shifting Will's hips until they were as far up as possible and his legs were spread perfectly, his buttocks now opening to reveal the still pale skin of his hole and inner cheeks.

"Absolutely beautiful," Lecter mused, squeezing the red ass, "Such art deserves to be on display, and it's all just for me."

The praises got Will to blush and hide his face in the pillow. "Of course it's only yours, if I showed it to anyone else you wouldn't hesitate to remind me just who I belong to."

Hannibal chuckled and ran his nails gently along the hot flesh of Will's backside to awaken the most likely numb nerves. "That is true." He paused, taking a moment to spread his ass further and rub his fingertips along Will's inner cheeks. "Let's quickly get this area warmed up. After all, you are still being punished, don't forget that."

Before the empath could argue, Dr. Lecter kept his left hand in place to hold his ass open as much as possible and lifted his right arm before beginning to swat the left side of his inner cheeks with renewed vigor. The pain reignited the burning sensation throughout his lower half with surprising speed and despite his best efforts to stay silent he cried out and bucked his hips. "Ow fucking shit! Hannibal please that hurts like a bitch!"

"That is indeed the point of such punishment," he reminded him gently, not letting up in intensity in the slightest, "But I'd hate to paddle such a sensitive area without warming it up first. It would risk injuring you and I'll have none of that."

Part of Will agreed with him, but that was overwhelmed by the horrible embarrassment of having his ass spread and vulnerable for Hannibal's seemingly iron plated hand. He absolutely despised when he got his inner cheeks smacked and while he was glad it was usually reserved for more serious offences, that didn't make the humiliation when he earned such discipline any more bearable.

Hiding his face into the comforter he yelped with each blow and tried to stay still. The better he cooperated the sooner the punishment would be over. When Hannibal was apparently satisfied Will's backside had been sufficiently covered in warming smacks, he shifted his hands to move onto the next, more serious portion of the punishment.

Lecter's left arm wrapped firmly around Will's waist, pulling him close so he was pinned to his side. He then tapped his inner cheeks a few times, the sensation sending shivers up the empath's spine. "25, Will. Keep count for I will ask you periodically how far along we are. Answer incorrectly and I'll make sure to start over with more force so I'm positive I've captured your attention. Are you ready, my teacup?"

William took a deep breath. _He won't seriously injure you,_ he reminded himself, _You've been a very ba- naughty boy and deserve a well paddled butt for your misbehavior_. "Yes, sir," he finally breathed, "Will you please spank my naughty bottom to teach me to obey the rules, talk nicer about myself, and tell the truth the first time?"

That seemingly pleased Hannibal and the empath felt him tap his butt a few times with approval. "Yes, my love. By the time we're done here you'll be a contrite little boy."

Will was surprised to hear the crack of the paddle against bare flesh so suddenly but shrieked as he realized it had been his flesh it attacked, searing pain exploding across his ass. There was no question about it, that genuine leather held nothing back. He hadn't fully registered its power before four rapid strokes overlapped on his right cheek in a perfect line. "Fucking shit! Ok experiment over new leather hurts really bad!"

He hummed and rubbed Will's ass soothingly, resting the paddle on his other thigh for a moment. "The flexibility is indeed perfect for maximizing the impact without putting stain on one's wrist. You picked out a perfect implement. Please watch your tongue though, I'd hate to start over when we've barely begun."

"Barely begun my ass! You can shove that stupid thing- Jesus Christ!" The shriek was from Hannibal quickly picking the implement back up and slapping his left cheek just as he had done to the right.

"While I am glad to see you have moved on from that awful moping, I suggest that you watch your tongue. It's never a good idea to sass the master when you're at his mercy. What number are we on my dear William?"

"6!" Though he tried to stay still so it was over with quicker, he found himself unable to resist the urge to squirm and kick his legs furiously in an attempt to dodge the incoming strokes. He heard the Lithuanian sigh and click his tongue disapprovingly as he tightened his grip on Will's waist.

"If you cannot control yourself then I'll have no choice but to start over and give more attention to your kicking legs, understood?" He punctuated this threat with two sharp strokes to the aforementioned thighs that made the younger man howl. "If you want to behave like a child then I have no problem punishing you as such."

Finding himself slightly sexually frustrated, William scowled and kicked some more. "Let's see how still you are with a sadist whaling on your ass!"

"William Graham," Hannibal snapped, causing him to shudder, "I don't know where this attitude is coming from but since this is still a punishment I expect much better behavior from you. Just because I took a moment to praise you doesn't mean you have the right to act like a brat during discipline." He laid the cool material of the paddle against the hot skin on Will's thighs. "If you are frustrated or embarrassed, you have no one to blame but yourself for your current position. You knew the rules you were breaking, and you continued onwards anyways." He shifted and raised the paddle back again, "With that said, get back to counting." He brought the smooth implement down with an echoed crack against his upturned backside.

The brunette howled and bucked his hips into Hannibal's thigh as he tried to squirm away. It was as if the searing pain was taking over his body and making him move without his consent. "Please Hannibal I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"

"It won't," he agreed, landing two hard strokes to the undercurve of his ass, "Because if this level of deliberate disobedience ever does resurface this paddling will seem like love taps in comparison. This lack of respect towards rules, yourself, and your body is very unbecoming of you and I'll be damned if I sit by idly as you inch closer to self destruction."

Hot tears streaked Will's cheeks, coating his face in the salty drops once again. There was a heavy weight in his stomach, nausea mixing with guilt and frustration that was no longer sexual but bred by confusion and insecurity. "But you promised," he choked out between slaps of the horrible leather, "You promised to love me at my worst!"

Dr. Lecter paused, the paddle stopped midair. With a sigh he rested it back on his thigh and rubbed comforting circles into Will's back. "Is that why you're so upset? Will Graham I meant what I said, no matter how many times you misbehave or go into the depths of insanity I will always love you."

"Then why-?"

"Then why am I punishing you?" he finished softly, "Because while I may love you at your worst, I also love you enough to push you to be the best version of yourself. This means keeping you accountable when you mess up and carrying you back into the light when you fall. To watch as you light yourself aflame wouldn't be love, would it?" A small shake of his head. "So I pull you out and try my best to make sure it never happens again. The union of two souls is meant to strengthen both members of the couple, not erode one or the other. If I'm going to be healthy for you, then I will make sure you understand the repercussions of your poor choices. Does that make more sense now? I punish you because of my love for you. Not because you're not good enough."

Struggling to hold back sobs, Will clutched Hannibal's left hand. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry I don't know where that came from."

The Lithuanian shook his head as he continued to rub his back. "It's perfectly reasonable, Will. You've never been in a healthy relationship that means to build you up. As smart as you are that doesn't exempt you from doubt. It's completely normal for a man with your background to ask questions and approach love with caution. There's no need to be cautious around me, though. I'm here for you no matter how terrible you deem the deed. If you're having doubts then you need to talk to me. If we don't communicate then I can't help you the best way possible."

"Yes, sir." He rubbed his eyes. "I'll try harder. It's difficult but I'm going to get better at talking about how I feel even when it might be uncomfortable." He felt Hannibal pat his backside approvingly and immediately relaxed, it was obvious through his gentle touch that all was forgiven.

Silence reigned for a few moments, the couple soaking in the pleasant effect the much needed conversation had on the atmosphere. It was one of those things you never knew you really desired until you had it. An unspoken vow that was settled in the quiet. To put himself in such a vulnerable position took courage and strength, yes, but Will knew it was more than that. It took incredible amounts of trust in the person you were exposing yourself to. It had been said many times before, but even now he could hear the oath in the melody of Hannibal's heartbeat.

Never would this trust be taken advantage of.

The psychiatrist cleared his throat and picked up the paddle once more. "I'm proud of how well you've taken your punishment, Will. You will be greatly rewarded once it is finished. Now." He let the leather trail along his exposed left inner cheek before moving over to the right, repeating the teasing motion. "What number are we on?"

Moaning, the empath wiggled his ass a little before his hips began to rise to their own accord. It was as if his upper half was nervous for the incoming pain but his more intimate areas begged for the grand finale. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe you stopped at 20, sir."

Hannibal continued to meticulously tease his most sensitive area, letting tension build with each time he flicked his wrist ever so slightly. The movement sent a wave down the leather to the end of the paddle so it firmly tapped either side of Will's spread ass. God it was cruel, but the brunette couldn't deny that he loved the way he was left on edge for what felt like an hour, his blood pressure skyrocketing as he could only hope he had counted correctly.

Finally, the paddle was raised. "Very good, mylimasis," Dr. Lecter mused as he prepared for the next stroke, the way he effortlessly slipped into his mother tongue causing a rush of blood to Will's face and member. "You've been paying attention. Now count these last five out loud for me."

A voice that could be so soothing yet lustful and confident all at once in a perfect arousing concoction that drove Will insane for once in a good way. It made all of the stress the afternoon had brought worth it. But he still had one last surprise of his own. He was determined to make sure at least one of his ideas for the evening went according to plan.

He let out a small moan as the first blow struck his right cheek before, with the most sultry voice he could manage, purring out, "_vienas_."

If only he could've seen the blond's face as he processed the word but feeling how his arm froze midair along with how quickly his member hardened next to his thigh was just as good. "My goodness," he managed to get out after clearing his throat, "It seems that cooking wasn't your only task for tonight."

"Well," Will hummed, "I knew such punishment was inevitable so I decided to try one more time to surprise you sincerely. I figured since it always turned you on when I spoke French, Lithuanian was my best bet. Of course it would've been for nothing if you hadn't made me count the last five but I assumed with your love of teasing me to the very end that would be unlikely." He paused before chuckling. "Your voice is trembling, my love. Was I successful finally?"

Of course he knew the answer, but he needed to hear it. He ached for the older man's admission of arousal at something that he had deliberately done. "Yes," Hannibal breathed, causing a jolt of satisfaction and sexual desire to light Will ablaze. "You are more than just successful, darling. I am now positive that this night will never be forgotten. Your reward has grown almost tenfold."

With a grin, the empath propped himself up to his elbows. "Then hurry up and beat my ass, master." He could feel Hannibal harden further as the man chuckled amusingly and raised the paddle.

"As you wish-" The leather struck his left cheek with a tremendous crack that made the brunette howl. "-My brat."

Gripping the bedspread, Will grit his teeth as tears rolled down his cheeks once more. In between all of the sweet nothings and sexual tension, he had forgotten the strength a true spanking from Hannibal entailed. "_Du_."

The next one hit his left undercurve, the sting radiating down his thigh and up his already aching buttock. He had to drum his feet against the carpet in an attempt to alleviate some of the discomfort. "Ooh! _Trys_! I'm sorry for disobeying you!" SMACK. A perfect mirror image of the previous blow. "Mmph! _Keturi_, I'm sorry for lying to you repeatedly!"

The last one landed right on his crack eliciting a scream from the younger man. "_Penki_!" His vocal cords gave out on him following the yell and succumbed to sobbing.

In usual fashion, Hannibal immediately set the implement aside, released his grip on his waist, and began to soothingly rub Will's deep red ass. "That was perfect, Will," he reassured him gently, letting him cry as he needed to. Unless he was working himself up or making himself sick, the Lithuanian made a point of never telling Will to cease his crying. When the brunette was ready for further aftercare, he would tell him so. "I forgive you, darling. It's all over. You're a very good boy, taking such a hard spanking."

Hearing the words of affirmation calmed Will down considerably. Knowing that Hannibal forgave him and that the slate was clean lifted a burden off of his shoulders. He sniffled heavily and rubbed at his year swollen eyes. "T-thank you," he hiccupped, "For p-punishing me and forgiving me. I'm sorry-"

"There's no need for further apologies it's just a waste of breath," Lecter interrupted, his voice soft but firm as he rubbed circles into his thighs. "You have been forgiven. If you wish to talk about preventing this behavior from occurring again we can do so at your next appointment. But until then, I believe you need some well earned affection, yes?"

With a sniffle and a nod, Will let Hannibal help him off of his leg and sit gingerly on his lap. As soon as he was close enough to do so, he wrapped his arms around the psychiatrist's neck and kissed him firmly. "I love you Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Happy anniversary."

Chuckling softly, Hannibal returned the kiss and rested his forehead against the other's. "Happy anniversary, Special Agent Will Graham. I love you more than anything."

There had been many things that were learned on that long day. Some simple like how to properly cut a potato or that the Lithuanian could tie a cherry stem with his tongue, others more surprising like ice cream tasted better at midnight in bed or sometimes the best presents are spur of the moment. But if Will had to choose the most important thing he learned, or rather relearned, it would be this;

No matter how many times he messed up, no matter when he tripped over his own two feet, no matter the size of his growth compared to his regression, he always has hope. Hope that the man who nurtured the best parts of him would lift him off the ground. And hand in hand, they would continue towards a better tomorrow.

Together.


End file.
